The Baakens River Valley

The Baakens River is a 23km urban river which originates on the outskirts of Port Elizabeth in wet sponges. It meanders through the residential suburbs and culminates at the city centre, flowing into the Algoa Bay Harbour.

The city of Port Elizabeth in fact owes its location to the Baakens River due to the availability of freshwater for Dutch sailors in the late 18th century. Its name was coined by the Dutch East India Company who placed a beacon at the mouth of the river to claim the right to the water source. They termed this source “Baakjes Fonteyn” which ultimately translated to “Baakens”.